The new school season started on Monday, September 12, and Education Minister Nikos Filis hopes to avoid any anomalies similar to those his predecessor Aristides Baltas faced, when many schools were left with a shortage of teachers on the opening day of last year’s season. To aid in the smooth operation of the new school season, the Ministry released detailed lists of part time or alternate teachers and transfers who will cover teaching posts across the country. As the teachers unions of OLME and DOE allege, the Ministry is shuffling teachers around to fill in the gaps by transferring educators between levels, while assigning teachers to related specialties. Teachers are accusing the Ministry of using ‘communication tricks’, claiming the largest parts of the teachers’ vacancies have not been really occupied. The President of the teachers’ union DOE, Thanasis Kikinis says there will be many gaps and argues this will degrade the quality of education provided to students in public schools.